Basket-style carriers are commonly employed to package beverage bottles. They typically include a central handle panel located between spaced parallel side panels, a bottom panel connected to the side panels and end panels connected to both the side panels and the handle panel. Typically, basket-style carriers of this type are fabricated from blanks in which the side panel sections are spaced from each other by handle forming sections, and each side panel section is flanked by two end panel flaps. The end panel flaps and one of the handle panel sections typically are connected to riser panels which connect the handle panel to the end panels in the carrier. Bottom panel flaps for forming the bottom panel are connected to the side panel sections.
A problem with this arrangement is that substantial amounts of paperboard stock are required to form the blank, not only because of the size of the blank but because the blank layout does not lend itself to tight nesting in the web from which the blanks are cut. Further, gluing of the carrier elements cannot be carried out with a straight line gluer, which is a more economical way to apply glue to a blank during the carrier forming process.
An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a basket carrier which can be formed from a more efficient layout with respect to material usage and the required gluing pattern. Another object is to provide such a carrier which not only possesses adequate strength and rigidity, but also presents a pleasing design appearance.